BROILER/ MEAT TYPE

• Broiler-commercial rations are fed to the birds during the first 5 weeks and from then on are replaced by the broiler-finisher ration.
• All purpose of straight broiler ration is fed from the start to the marketing age of eight weeks.
• Commercial broiler feeds contain additives considered to be grown promoting substances. Feed additives make the production of broiler profitable and help broiler farmer control diseases. Purchase feeds from feed dealers nearest your place.

LAYER/ EGG TYPE

• Starter mash is given to chicks from day to 8-10 weeks old
• Growing mash is given to birds aged 8-10 weeks until they are 5 mouths old or when the egg production reaches 10 percent. This mash promotes pullet growth at a rate that is just right to allow the bird to develop its body and internal organs so that it will start to lay at the right time.
• The bird should not be allowed to get fat during the growing period because this causes poor egg production and high mortality among layers. A good way of preventing fatness among the pullets is to restrict their feed to 85 % of normal consumption when they are 16-18 weeks old then full fed them at 17-20 weeks of age.
• Laying mash is given to pullets they are about to lay (10% or until the layers are replaced) or when they reach 19 weeks of age.
• Wetting the mash or instituting wet mash-feeding at noon during hot days will increase appetite of the birds.
• Adopt a regular system of feeding because chickens resent abrupt changes in feeding habits which gets reflected in their performance, especially on egg production.

FORCE MOLTING

Molting (the shedding off of feathers during which hen generally does not lay eggs) can be induced any time with the use of chemical preparations or by the conventional method of starvation. The latter is still the more accepted practice.

Molting is practiced when:
" the layer flock has a good health and production record that a second laying year is warranted;
" there is a need to switch egg production season when egg prices are low;
" there are better prices for larger eggs (molted hens produce larger eggs than pullets

Procedure

1. Withhold feed and water totally during the first day. There should be no additional lighting and if possible, darken the poultry house
2. Give water in the afternoon of the second day, do not give feed
3. Give full water on the third day, do not give feed
4. Give a little amount of high fiber grain (unmilled rice) on the fourth day, 5kg/100 hens. Provide grit if grains are fed whole
5. Continue feeding only high fiver grains and water until production drops to zero and all hens undergo molting. In case of serious abnormalities like signs of ailments, return to normal feed
6. As soon as production drops to zero and every bird shows some molting this should be about two weeks, give the birds a booster feed to hasten the rebuilding of tissues and growing of the feathers
7. A high protein diet (21%) must be fed for about two weeks then switched gradually to the normal layer mash
8. After about six weeks, the flocks must be coming back to production
9. Birds that do not recover after two more weeks (when majority of the hens has come back to production) must be culled out
10. A rested flock is expected to produce good quality large-size eggs as they return to production

Water Management

Poultry drinkers should be automatic, easy to clean, free from excessive splashing and not liable to flooding

The drinkers should be such that the birds will not be able to get their feet into the drinking water. Water must be provided at all times.